After leaving Mukesh Ambani’s Jio, he launched his own startup fund and raised Rs 1,091 crore
Vikas Chaudhary, a former top executive at Reliance Jio, spent five years with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, and then resigned to launch his own growth-stage startup fund, Playbook Partners. He paved a path from corporate leadership to successful entrepreneur. Vikas has raised Rs 1,091 crore ($130 million) from domestic and international investors, focusing on investments in tech-enabled Indian startups.
Vikas Chaudhary Journey
There are many leaders in Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance, who left the organisation and started a unique journey. Vikas Chaudhary is among the many business leaders who developed their skills working with Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries (RIL) before stepping into entrepreneurship. Vikas served as the President of Reliance Jio, Vikas’s journey from corporate executive to successful startup founder can be inspiring to many.
Vikas’s tenure at Reliance Jio, from 2017 to 2022, saw him lead significant business divisions. He oversaw Jio’s e-commerce initiatives, including JioMart (electronics and groceries), as well as its telecom offerings like Jio4G SIM and JioPhone. His leadership and vision contributed to the rapid expansion of these businesses. His extensive experience, spanning over two decades, covers both early and late-stage investments.
Founding Playbook Partners
After five years at Jio, Vikas Chaudhary decided to start on a new venture by launching his own startup fund, Playbook Partners. This growth-stage fund invests in companies that are past their early stages and are expanding rapidly, particularly focusing on mid-market tech-enabled startups in India. These companies have already established market presence and have products or services that resonate with customers. Vikas pointed out that while India has over 100,000 startups, fewer than 1,000 have reached the growth stage.
Rs 1,091 Crore Raised for His Startup
Since launching Playbook Partners, Vikas has successfully raised Rs 1,091 crore ($130 million) from a mix of domestic and foreign investors. The fund focuses on profitable Indian startups in the tech space, aiming to support businesses with strong growth potential. Vikas also hinted at plans to further expand the fund to $250 million in the near future.The firm raised the amount within four months of its inception, as institutional investors across Europe, the U.S., the Middle East, and India showed interest in it.
Playbook Partners aims to capitalize on growth-stage startups in India, which Choudhary described as an “under-represented asset class.”
Vikas Chaudhary Education & Career
Vikas Chaudhary has an impressive academic background including a degree from Harvard University. His business experience extends beyond India, having worked in both the US and Asia. Prior to his role at Jio, Vikas was the India head of Aimia, a Toronto-based investment holding company, for six years. He also served as a partner at Pivot Ventures, a multi-family office focused on alternative investments, from 2010 to 2023.